Albert Edward Thompson

Albert Edward Thompson (“Bert”) was born in Newport, Monmouthshire, the son of John Percy Thompson (“Jack”) and Cordelia Ann Leach, a farmer’s daughter. His father was a wholesale butcher with Swift and Co of Bristol. Bert was educated in Bristol, first at Sefton Park elementary school and later at Queen Elizabeth Hospital School. He excelled at sport as well as academic studies, being in the first XV rugby and first XI cricket teams. He matriculated in 1945 and obtained his higher school certificate in 1947. After completing national service as a radiographer with the Royal Army Medical Corps, he was accepted to study medicine at St Mary’s Hospital Medical School and played with great distinction for the student sides in both rugby and cricket in the inter-hospitals cup competition. He was a speedy wing three quarter and an outstanding opening batsman. He captained both St Mary’s and the United Hospital’s teams for many years⇓.

After preregistration house posts Bert spent some time in general practice before deciding on a career in surgery. He returned to St Mary’s, where he progressed through the registrar and senior registrar grades, before being appointed to be the assistant director of the surgical unit. Bert was an excellent technical surgeon, and in this period he developed his craft to a very high level. He would often be summoned to theatre to help his colleagues, and he managed difficult situations with tact, skill, and diplomacy. …